WHO STOLE JAWS?

Or should that be, one of our iconic film posters is missing?

That's right, the whereabouts of the original Jaws artwork by Roger Kastel, of the shark and Chrissie Watkins on the poster, is unknown.

Dean Newman, head of content at The Daily Jaws, said: "It's like the Mona Lisa of film poster designs, instantly recognisable the world over. That image of the shark rising to Chrissie, it transcends language and is primal.

”The poster is as much a part of the success of the film as the editing by Verna Fields or music by John Williams. Put simply, it is one of the best film poster images ever."

The original artwork by Kastel was an oil-on-board painting measuring 20 by 30 inches, and before it became the film poster the design adorned the cover of the Bantam paperback.

Like it would go on to help enhance the film, it did the same for the paperback. No wonder Universal were keen to adhere to the mantra of if it ain't broken, don't fix it. Just a shame that whoever was in charge of it didn't lose it.

It is now almost 50 years since Kastel last set eyes on it, last seeing it hanging at the Society of illustrators in New York. If only Brody hadn’t moved to Amity, he could have investigated it.

He said: “It was framed because it was on a book tour, and then it went out to Hollywood for the movie. I expected it to come back, but it never did.”

To quote Mayor Vaughn, whoever has it should be hung up by their Buster Browns.

If the original Jaws artwork by Roger Kastel ever does change hands, you can be sure it will happen under the radar, sonar and mean you could buy an awful lot of electric toothbrushes.

Words by Dean Newman

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